Michael Chiesa scored one of the most important wins of his career on Saturday when he submitted Tony Ferguson at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in the first round of their welterweight bout at UFC on ABC 7.
The submission ended a three-fight losing streak and was Chiesa’s first victory since a Jan. 20, 2021, decision win over Neil Magny.
But when Chiesa was being interviewed by Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, he understood the circumstances.
“There’s so much I want to say, but this microphone belongs to Tony Ferguson,” said Chiesa, who turned and left the Octagon.
Ferguson had just lost for the UFC record eighth time in a row, and he hasn’t won since defeating Donald Cerrone at UFC 238 on June 8, 2019. Yet, when he was asked if he planned to retire, a remarkable scene unfolded. Ferguson looked around the arena, choked up and seemingly unable to speak. As he surveyed the scene, the crowd began to chant his name in unison.
“Tony! Tony! Tony!”
It was a breath-taking visual and something almost unfathomable in any other sport.
But it spoke to the status that Ferguson, one of the iconic figures in the history of the sport, built for himself in a 13-year career in the UFC. He was tough, he was successful and he was as unique as anyone to ever do it.
Ferguson’s eight-fight losing streak was preceded by a 12-fight winning streak. After defeating Cerrone, Ferguson was in the midst of an 18-1 run.
He wasn’t able to sustain it, but the fans never lost their love for him. It was in part because of his quirky personality — You never knew what he might say or do next — but it was also because of the way he conducted himself in the Octagon.
He was truly fearless and he fought with a ferocity and a passion that was tangible. He related to the people who paid to see himi compete and he gave them their money’s worth every time out.
The pinnacle, other than the 12-fight win streak, was probably on Oct. 7, 2017, at UFC 216 in Las Vegas, when he submitted Kevin Lee with a triangle choke to win the interim lightweight title. He was scheduled to to fight the great Khabib Nurmagomedov multiple times, but the fight was postponed and canceled so often, it became a running joke.
Now 40, Ferguson didn’t commit to retiring Saturday. He took both of his gloves off, and it appeared he was going to lay them in the center of the cage, a traditional way an MMA fighter announces his retirement.
Ferguson, though, didn’t want to do things in a traditional manner.
So he placed one glove on the mat and kept the other “just in case,” he said.
“I don’t want to retire,” Ferguson said. “I really don’t. But I love the UFC and I don’t want to go anywhere else, so I’m not going to put both gloves down. I’m going to put one [down] and I’m going to keep the other one, just in case.”
It’s almost certain that’s it for him and if it is, he’ll end with a 25-11 record, including a 15-9 mark in the UFC. He won The Ultimate Fighter Season 13, held the interim lightweight title and finished 20 of his 25 wins. He also had six Fight of the Night awards, three Performance of the Nights, and one Knockout and one Submission of the Night awards.